Dire Maul is a three-wing instance found in northcentral Feralas. It was once a proud Highborne city called Eldre'Thalas, but now lies in ruins, overrun by ogres, satyrs, and undead. Only a tiny remnant of the original Highborne population remains in the form of a murderous sect called the Shen'dralar. The enemy level range is 36 to 52, but it was once one of the highest-level pre-Burning Crusade instances before having its level range reduced with Patch 4.0.3a. Dire Maul was designed for parties of five, and characters must be at least level 31 to enter the Warpwood Quarter or 37 to enter the Capital Gardens or Gordok Commons.

Contents

History

From old World Dungeons site:

Built twelve thousand years ago by a covert sect of Highborne sorcerers, the ancient city of Eldre'Thalas was used to protect Queen Azshara's most prized arcane secrets. Though it was ravaged by the Great Sundering of the world, much of the wondrous city still stands as the imposing Dire Maul. The ruins' three distinct districts have been overrun by all manner of creatures — especially the spectral Highborne, foul satyr and brutish ogres. Only the most daring party of adventurers can enter this broken city and face the ancient evils locked within its ancient vaults.

Geography and Layout

Dire Maul contains three wings in two instances. The wings are known as Dire Maul East, West and North. The West and North wings are contained in a single instance, and are connected via The Athenaeum. At the center of Dire Maul, connecting the three wings, is an open plaza populated by ogres and containing a special PvP arena. This arena, consisting of a rectangular pit with entrances and exits on the east and west sides, is similar to the Gurubashi Arena in Stranglethorn Vale, in that "free for all" PvP combat is permitted within its confines. Every six hours, a rare mob spawns in the arena (Skarr the Unbreakable, The Razza or Mushgog). These mobs drop BoEblue items.

Warpwood Quarter

Warpwood Quarter (aka Dire Maul East) has been taken over by the nefarious Alzzin the Wildshaper, a satyr who has corrupted the Fruit of Fertility tree so that it produces vile [Felvine Shards]. Alzzin has attracted all manner of corrupted plant life, satyrs, mages and demons to his cause. The entire district is overgrown with crazed plant life. Dire Maul East is considered the easiest of the three wings and requires no key to enter.

Capital Gardens

Capital Gardens (a.k.a Dire Maul West) is haunted by the ghosts and skeletons of deceased Highborne, and is home to a variety of arcane creatures, including ancients and mana surges. Yet the most notable resident of Dire Maul West is Immol'thar, a demon imprisoned on this plane by Prince Tortheldrin. Millennia ago, the Prince, aided by his Shen'dralar loyalists, constructed five mystical pylons to bind Immol'thar so that they could siphon his energy to sustain their immortality. Warlocks must go to this prison and summon their dreadsteed for the quest [60D] Dreadsteed of Xoroth. Tendris Warpwood, a corrupted Ancient of War, also resides in Dire Maul West. Alliancepaladins must slay him as part of the quest [60D] Ancient Equine Spirit in order to obtain their charger. In addition, Tendris Warpwood also guards the door leading from Dire Maul West into Immol'thar's prison, where players can also access The Athenaeum.

Gordok Commons

Gordok Commons (a.k.a Dire Maul North) is considered the hardest, or, at the very least, the most interesting and unusual, wing of Dire Maul. The district is now occupied by a tribe of ogres known as the Gordok. Dire Maul is unique in that parties adventuring there have a choice. They may, in the traditional fashion, kill all the various bosses in the instance for some guaranteed rare drops, or they can use a series of crafting, questing and sneaking tasks to perform a "tribute run." In a tribute run the characters only kill King Gordok, ruler of the Gordok tribe, while keeping the other bosses alive. As a reward for sparing the lives of the other instance bosses, the characters receive higher quality, though fewer, rare drops from a tribute chest. In addition, the Gordok proclaim the characters as kings, which grants access to a variety of two-hour buffs and the quest [60D] Unfinished Gordok Business.

You need to kill Immol'thar to make Prince Tortheldrin hostile and to loot the chest behind the Prince to complete Captain Kromcrush's quest.

Dire Maul East

Enter from the northwest (there are three entrances) or make your way there and speak with Pusillin (#1 on the map), in the northwest corner by the broken walkway, to get him to move (this is on the 2nd floor of the room that Old Ironbark, #2 on the map, is in). Chase Pusillin to the north east corner of this main room and then speak with him again.

Follow him east into the large room and go upstairs (#5 on the map). Speak with him again to fight him. Pick up the [Crescent Key] from his corpse.

After killing Zevrim Thornhoof, take the spiral stairway downstairs to safely reach the room with Old Ironbark (#2 on the map). Speak with him to have him break down the door on the north side. Go through the passage to #4.

In the final room make your way down one side of the circle, clear the mobs in front of Alzzin the Wildshaper, and then kill him.

Notes, Tips, & Additional Info

Also known as DM, which is an abbreviation shared with The Deadmines. When in doubt, check the level of the person asking for a group (shift click their name). Some players try to avoid confusion by abbreviating Dire Maul to DiM or The Deadmines to VC (after the final boss Edwin VanCleef). This may not apply, however, since before the dungeon finder people running Dire Maul would abbreviate what part of Dire Maul they are running, i.e.: Dire Maul: East (DM East), Dire Maul: North (DM North), etc.

World of Warcraft: The Comic

In World of Warcraft: The Comic, Dire Maul is featured prominently as the location of the Crimson Ring's annual championship gladiator matches. The gladiatorial games begins with individual single combat matches and which ever gladiator team can survive the individual trials intact can advance to team combat matches to vie for the team championship. It is presumed that members of the teams who were unable to advance to team combat matches continue to fight in single combat matches to vie for the single combat championship(such as Bloodeye Redfist).Rehgar Earthfury's team, consisting of an amnesic Varian Wrynn, Broll Bearmantle, and Valeera Sanguinar, claimed victory over the previous year's team champions: Giago, Two-Heads, and Brlee (members of the Gordunni Clan of Ancient Draenor).

Patches and hotfixes

Patch 4.0.3a (2010-11-23): Level significantly lowered to 36-52 and [Crescent Key] removed and no longer needed to unlock North and West doors.

Patch 1.6.0 (12-Jul-2005): Dire Maul has had several spawn locations changed and a slight increase in population.